![]() Beard with West Ham United Women in 2018 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Matthew Beard [1] | ||
Date of birth | 9 January 1978 | ||
Place of birth | Roehampton, England | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Liverpool F.C. Women | ||
Managerial career | |||
Years | Team | ||
2008–2009 | Millwall Lionesses | ||
2009–2012 | Chelsea Ladies | ||
2012–2015 | Liverpool F.C. Women | ||
2016–2017 | Boston Breakers | ||
2018–2020 | West Ham United Women | ||
2021 | Bristol City Women (interim) | ||
2021– | Liverpool F.C. Women |
Matthew Beard (born 9 January 1978) is an English professional football manager, who is currently head coach of FA Women's Super League club Liverpool F.C. Women. He has managed the side previously, as well as the women's teams of Bristol City on an interim basis, West Ham, Chelsea, Boston Breakers and Millwall. [2] [3]
Beard had his first coaching job as reserve team manager at non-league Kingstonian FC. He then had coaching stints at Tooting & Mitcham, Hampton & Richmond Borough, and Charlton Athletic Ladies. After Keith Boanas moved to Millwall Lionesses in June 2008, [4] Beard went too and succeeded in the Lionesses job when Boanas quit after six months. [5] In Beard's first fledgling steps in management, he guided the team to the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division title and promotion to the top tier in 2008–09. [6]
Beard was named first-team manager of Chelsea Ladies FC for the 2009-10 league campaign on the recommendation of team captain and former player-manager Casey Stoney, who had played for Beard when he was an assistant at Charlton. [6] He remained until 2012, helping guide the club to the 2012 FA Women's Cup Final, the FA Premier League Cup semi-finals, and a third-place finish in the FA National Premier League.[ citation needed ]
He then took a position with Liverpool F.C. Women for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, and was named FA WSL Manager of the Year in 2013 and 2014. [7] On 22 September 2015, it was announced that Beard was leaving Liverpool F.C. Women, and had accepted a head coaching position with the Boston Breakers. [8] [9]
On 7 June 2018, he was appointed manager of West Ham United Women. [10] In May 2019, he took the club to the FA Cup Final, where they lost 3-0 to Manchester City at Wembley. [11] On 19 November 2020, Beard and West Ham agreed on his departure from the club by mutual consent. [12]
On 13 May 2021 it was announced Beard was appointed manager of Liverpool F.C. Women, and would return 6 years since he left. [13] He won the FA Women's Championship with them by the end of the season.
All competitive games (league, domestic and continental cups) are included.
Club | Nat. | From | To | Record | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||||
Millwall | ![]() | 2009 | 2009 | 16 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 75.00 | ||
Chelsea | ![]() | 2009 | 2012 | 61 | 33 | 8 | 20 | 54.10 | ||
Liverpool | ![]() | 2013 | 2016 | 58 | 32 | 7 | 19 | 55.17 | ||
Boston Breakers | ![]() | 2016 | 2017 | 44 | 7 | 9 | 28 | 15.91 | ||
West Ham United | ![]() | 2018 | 2020 | 70 | 24 | 10 | 36 | 34.29 | ||
Bristol City | ![]() | 2021 | 2021 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 20.00 | ||
Liverpool | ![]() | 2021 | present | 86 | 42 | 17 | 27 | 48.84 | ||
Total | 350 | 153 | 57 | 140 | 43.71 | |||||
Beard and his wife, Debbie, have two children: Harry and Ellie. Matt also has a step-son Scott Hastings from Debbie's first marriage. Scott is a football coach for Chelsea FC. Beard has a brother, who has appearances for Millwall, Mark. [16]
Liverpool Women
Individual
Casey Jean Stoney is an English professional football manager and former player who was most recently the head coach of the San Diego Wave.
Liverpool Football Club, commonly referred to as Liverpool or Liverpool Football Club Women if distinguishing themselves from the men's team, is a professional English women's football team based in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. They have served as the official women's division of Liverpool Football Club since 1994. Founded in 1989 as Newton LFC and subsequently renamed Knowsley United WFC, Liverpool Ladies and Liverpool FC Women over the years. The club was a founding member of the top-tier Women's Super League in 2011. A year later, Liverpool became the first English football club to offer every female player full-time professional contracts. This decision pioneered the professionalisation of women's football in England and led to Liverpool winning back to back Women's Super League titles in 2013 and 2014. In 2022, they also won the FA Women's Championship, earning promotion back to the Women's Super League, having done so three times previously in 2003–04, 2006–07, 2009–10.
Fara Tanya Franki Merrett, known professionally as Fara Williams, is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. A consistent goalscorer and set-piece specialist, Williams was considered one of England's leading players.
Gilly Louise Scarlett Flaherty is an English former footballer who last played for FA WSL club Liverpool. Flaherty is a former Arsenal Ladies player who began her career in Millwall Lionesses' youth teams. She usually plays in the centre back position and represented England at youth level before making her senior debut in October 2015.
West Ham United Women Football Club is an English women's football club affiliated with West Ham United. The club plays in the Women's Super League, the top tier of English women's football. They were formed in 1991 and play home games at Dagenham & Redbridge's Chigwell Construction Stadium on Victoria Road.
Leanne Kelly Champ is an English football player and coach, who last played for North Jersey Valkyries of the North American W-League. A tough-tackling full back who can also play in midfield, Champ previously played for FA WSL club Chelsea Ladies, Arsenal and Pali Blues as well as spending three spells with Millwall Lionesses. She has also represented England at youth and senior level. She is now the Pro Team Second Assistant Coach and Breakers College Academy Coach for the Boston Breakers in the NWSL.
Natasha Khalila Dowie is an English former footballer. She represented the England women's national football team at the youth level before making her senior international debut in 2009. Dowie played for the London teams Watford, Fulham and Charlton Athletic, and then spent five years with Everton before transferring to FA WSL clubs Liverpool Ladies in November 2012 and Doncaster Rovers Belles in 2016. She also spent three periods on loan with Melbourne Victory of the Australian W-League in 2015, 2016, and 2017 and played for Boston Breakers in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in 2016 and 2017.
Claire Lauren Rafferty is an English pundit and retired professional footballer. She made over 100 appearances as a left back or left winger for Chelsea in the FA WSL and also spent time at Millwall Lionesses and West Ham United. Rafferty also represented England internationally and played at the 2012 Olympics for Great Britain.
Ann-Marie "Annie" Heatherson is an English former footballer who most recently played as a forward and captain for Yeovil Town of the FA Women's National League. She began her career with Charlton Athletic and played for rival London clubs Fulham, Millwall Lionesses and Chelsea Ladies after Charlton folded their women's team in 2007. Heatherson also enjoyed short spells in Iceland and the United States before joining Bristol Academy ahead of the inaugural 2011 FA WSL season, where she was also employed by the club as an ambassador. Heatherson represented England up to Under-21 level and was named in senior squads but never capped. She was named the FA Women's Young Player of the Year in 2004.
Keith Robert Boanas is an English football manager.
Chelsea L.F.C.'s 2012 season was the club's second season in the FA WSL and seventh in the top flight of English women's football, in its 20th year.
Kate Leanne Longhurst is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder or wing-back for Nottingham Forest in the FA Women's National League North. Longhurst won back to back WSL titles in her time at Liverpool WFC. She became the joint all-time Womens Super League record appearance maker in 2023 with 182 appearances.
Ciara Alice Watling is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Millwall Lionesses. Ciara signed for Millwall Lionesses on 25 January 2024.
The 2018–19 FA WSL was the eighth edition of the FA Women's Super League (WSL) since it was formed in 2010. It was the first season after a rebranding of the four highest levels in English women's football. The previous FA WSL 2 became the Championship – eleven clubs competed in the 2018–19 FA Women's Championship.
The 2019–20 FA Women's Championship was the second season of the rebranded FA Women's Championship, the second tier of women's football in England. It was renamed from the FA WSL 2 which was founded in 2014. The season began on 18 August 2019.
Grace Rebecca Fisk is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Women's Super League club Liverpool and has represented the England national team at youth level.
The 2020–21 FA WSL season was the tenth edition of the FA Women's Super League (WSL) since it was formed in 2010. It was the third season after the rebranding of the four highest levels in English women's football.
The 2020–21 West Ham United F.C. Women season was the club's 30th season in existence and their third in the FA Women's Super League, the highest level of the football pyramid. Along with competing in the WSL, the club also contested two domestic cup competitions: the FA Cup and the League Cup.
The 2018–19 West Ham United F.C. Women season was the club's 28th season in existence and their first in the FA Women's Super League, the highest level of the football pyramid and their first as a fully professional team. Along with competing in the WSL, the club also contested two domestic cup competitions: the FA Cup and the League Cup.